Knowing You
by Lord of Kavaka
Summary: "Am… am I dead?" / "No… no. You're quite alive, Mr. Castle. A complete idiot, but an alive idiot." / Once famous author Richard Castle's luck was about to change when he woke up in the hospital to discover the beautiful Captain Kate Beckett by his bedside, almost eager to get to know him. a "The Time Of Our Lives" story; set in the AUverse.
1. Know You

**Knowing You**

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a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

* * *

**1\. Know You**

* * *

He woke up to a burning, aching pain in his chest. It hurt to breathe, and he struggled to heave in a single breath before discovering that it was much easier to wheeze and breathe through his nose instead. There were beeping noises all around him, and quite frankly, it was all beginning to freak him out. The sheets were scratchy, starchy, smelling of bleach and antiseptic. He wished he knew what was going on. Fighting against the pain, he blinked his eyes open, squinting in the harsh white light that saturated the room. He took him just a moment to assess the room, and realize that he is in a hospital.

_Why the hell am I in a hospital?_

The reason was made crystal clear when he attempted to sit up. _Shit_. A agonizing pain shot through his entire torso, twisting and burning. It almost felt like someone had dug his heart out of his chest with a very, very dull spoon. _What the hell happened to me?_

"Oh, thank god… you're awake," an angelic voice sighed with… was that relief?

Blinking away the pain, using all his suppresses to stifle it down, he turned his head towards the source of the lovely voice. When he finally saw her, his heart jumped into his throat. _Was he in heaven?_ Probably—no, _definitely_—the most beautiful woman he had ever seen was standing beside him, gazing down at him with relief and something else in her glazed eyes. It looked like she had been crying. And he desperately wanted to know what had made her cry, so he could somehow make her feel better.

"Am… am I dead?" he managed to croak out.

"No… no," she shook her head, her voice wavering with barely suppressed emotion. Her hand landed on his shoulder, and she squeezed it, comfortingly, as if it was more for her benefit than his. "You're quite alive, Mr. Castle. A complete idiot, but an alive idiot."

"You know me!?" he hooted in surprise, wondering how such an extraordinary beauty would even know a washed-up novelist like himself.

"Well… that depends," she murmured, furrowing her brow contemplatively. "Do you know who I am?"

"An angel?" he spoke without thinking, the medication in his blood destroying his filter.

She smirked at that, shaking her head and biting on her lower lip. "No, I'm afraid not, Mr. Castle. I'm just an ordinary woman."

He scoffed in disbelief, then grimaced in pain. It hurt to huff. She gazed at him worriedly, but he managed to wave off her concern. "I find that hard to believe," he asserted.

"Well, it's the truth," she replied. "And in answer to your question… yes, I know you, and… no, I don't."

"Oh," Castle suddenly felt very disappointed… and confused. "Are my mother and daughter here?"

She nodded. "Yes. They're in the cafeteria getting something to eat. They'll be back soon." She paused, and then continued. "You have an amazing daughter, Castle," she said. "You must be proud."

"I am," he said, wishing he'd been a better father than he has been. Maybe it's not too late to fix that. Maybe it was time to finally be the kind of father—and the kind of man—he had always wished he could be. Castle looked back upon the woman standing by his hospital bed and again wondered why she was there. "Do I know you?"

"No," she shook her head. "No, you don't. But…," she paused for moment, her nose wrinkling adorably. "But… you did," she continued.

"Either I'm more drugged up than I thought, or you're not making any sense."

She shrugged. "Probably a little of both, Castle."

He narrowed his eyes at her, thoroughly confused and intrigued. She said that she didn't know him—that he didn't know her—yet there was such a familiarity about the way she said his name. Castle attempted to sit back up again, but had to stop when the pain in his chest reasserted itself. He groaned, and flopped back down on the bed.

"What happened?"

She swallowed, and he couldn't help but watch the enticing bob of her throat as she did so. "We were working a case together," she answered at length. "The suspect was about to shoot me, when you shoved me aside. And…" She left the rest unsaid.

Castle's eyes went wide. Wow. He almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. It didn't sound like him at all. It pained him to admit it, but he was a coward. There were only two people in this world he would gladly lay down his life for, and neither one of them were in this room. If he had been willing to die for this beautiful woman before him, then she must mean an awful lot to him.

She pursed her lips, and he could tell there was something else, but she was holding back. He breathed slowly, more through his nose than mouth as he tried to wrap his brain around the fact he had been shot. It was probably a miracle he'd even survived. Castle flicked his gaze back up to hers, uncertain. He could see something in her eyes, something that could be extraordinary. He wanted to know what it was. He wanted to know who _she_ was. And why his heart seemed to quicken at just the sight of her.

Knitting his eyebrows together, he looked at her in wonder. "So I was working a case with you? Does that mean you're a detective?" he inquired.

"Captain, actually," she said. "I command the 12th precinct."

"Cool," he said, wiggling his eyebrows as he looked up at her. "Must have been some case if it got you out from behind a desk." He let his eyes sweep over her form, unable to deny her model-like beauty, and haunting good looks. He really wished he could remember working a case with her.

"You have no idea," she mumbled, averting her gaze for a moment.

"You've got me at a disadvantage here," he said, trying to adjust to the ache in his chest. It still shocked him that he had been shot. For now, he could live with the discomfort. It may be a long road ahead of him with recovery, but at least he had survived. And he was now acquainted with the most beautiful woman he had ever met. He swallowed and looked at her, feeling an anxiety he hadn't felt in years. "You know my name, but I don't know yours. So… um… what's your name, Captain?"

She graced him with one of the most beautiful smiles he had ever seen. "I'm Kate… Kate Beckett," she introduced herself. "You don't know me, and I don't know you… at least not this you," she added that last part under her breath, before continuing, "but… if it's okay with you, I'd like to get to know you better."

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*A/N: Originally published in my oneshot collection fic **THERE'S ALWAYS A STORY**. But after some thought, I decided the story of Captain Beckett and AU!Castle deserved their own story.


	2. Getting To Know You

**Knowing You**

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a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

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**2\. Getting To Know You**

* * *

She continued to visit him.

The woman he didn't know.

For three months, almost everyday—saved the days a challenging or high profile investigation called her away—Captain Kate Beckett would visit with him. He did not know what to make of it. She was like his guardian angel, watching over him, making sure the doctors treated him well. She even arranged for one of the best cardiac specialist in the city to examine him to ensure there were no lingering side effects from his open-heart surgery. It took him some prodding, but she eventually admitted the Dr. Davidson was an ex-boyfriend.

"Why didn't it work out?" Castle asked after the handsome doctor departed, having declared the surgery a success and giving solid advice for his recovery.

Captain Beckett planted herself in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs by his bedside and simply shrugged. "We were both just so busy with work that neither of us were really that invested in the relationship," she sighed, carding her fingers through her gorgeous brown tresses. "In the end, we both realized we were each in it for the wrong reasons. Having a relationship with someone simply to _have_ a relationship wasn't fair… to either of us."

He nodded, adjusting his weight on the hospital bed, and grimacing when the surgical scars on his chest protested to the movement. "I know the feeling," he sympathized. "I've been married twice, yet I still don't believe I've had a real, genuine honest relationship since college."

"Do you think you could?"

"Could what?"

"Have a real, genuine honest relationship?" she elaborated after a lengthy pause and long look.

He tried to read the emotion in her eyes, but he didn't know her well enough to fully judge what he was seeing in those beautiful hazel orbs. "I don't know, maybe," he answered, and then added, shifting his gaze back to hers. "With the right person."

Captain Beckett nodded, ducking her head as she looked down at her hands resting in her lap. Her brow furrowed thoughtfully and when she glanced back up at him, he could have sworn he saw hope swimming in those gorgeous eyes of hers.

"Yeah…," she said. "I feel the same. Anything is possible with the right person."

It had been one conversation amongst many over those three months, but it had been enough to get him thinking. His life had been fundamentally altered the day he woke up in that hospital bed with no memory of how he got there, and it just wasn't the angelic beauty that visited his bedside that marked this change. His relationship with Alexis seemed vastly improved, and even his mother seemed less judgmental of his life choices. And for the first time in what felt like years, she seemed genuinely proud of him. She still scolded him like a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar for his reckless behavior, but underneath it all was pride in him and his selfless—dare he say, heroic—actions.

His mother and daughter seemed approving of the police captain, always inviting her to join them for coffee when the nurse came in to tell them visiting hours were over. And Castle found himself pleased with his family's acceptance of the woman he didn't know, yet wanted to know him. He was still completely baffled by Beckett's interest in him, yet he was not going to complain. It had been a while since a woman as extraordinary as Kate Beckett showed sincere and authentic interest in him as a person, not as the once famous author.

They would talk for hours on end, about nothing and everything. One night, she'd come to visit after work with tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. Concerned, Castle shifted in his hospital bed, and offered her a spot next to him. She took it willingly and without fuss, curling into his side, mindful of his injuries, and told him about the case her team had caught that day and how it had hit close to him, reminding her of the death of her mother. And before he knew it, Beckett was telling him her story. It came flooding out of her in great waves of information, and by the end, he felt closer to her than he had to anyone in his life.

"I'm sorry for burdening you with this," she said, gently pushing herself up, brushing her hair back from her face. "You have more than enough to worry about without me adding my own problems to them. I… it's just been a long time since I've ever really let it get to me like this. And… I don't know… I couldn't think of anywhere or anyone else I'd rather be with right now."

The statement had stunned him. Surely a woman like Kate Beckett would have much better offers than a broken, washed up writer. He stared at her for a long moment, before, cupping her jaw in his palm and pulling her back in for a reassuring embrace. She sighed in his arms. It was the first time he could remember where a woman, not related to him, found genuine emotional comfort in his embrace. He had wanted to kiss her, but he had felt it was the wrong moment, and too soon for such things. When he kissed her—and he was positive it would happen eventually—he wanted it to be for the right reasons and at the right time.

That night had been the start of something. He hadn't been able to put a name on it, but it was definitely a turning point in their unorthodox friendship.

The more time he spent with Beckett, the more profoundly his heart beat for her. He worked harder with his physical therapist to get better, wanting his heart to be strong enough for the emotions he felt stirring within. Castle protected and nurtured the growing feelings, afraid that if he revealed them too early they would be squashed. He wasn't used to a woman like Kate Beckett staying around. Part of him had been silently dreading the day she realized he wasn't worth the effort and leave.

But she didn't.

She surprised him.

Unlike the women before her, she stayed. Through the most grueling and trying three months of his life, as he struggled through the painful recovery of taking several bullets to the chest, Kate Beckett stayed by his side, cheering him on and cheering him up. Just her presence in his life encouraged him to be better: A better son, a better father… a better man.

Because of her, he wanted to be more than what he was.

And also because of her, a long dead part inside him of him sparked to life.

"I want to write again," he told Alexis one day after she picked him up from physical therapy sessions. "God, Alexis… I actually _want_ to write."

His daughter had hugged him then, happy tears glistening in her eyes as she squeezed him tightly, tucking her head under his chin like she had when she was a little girl. "Thank God," she declared in a breathless, overjoyed voice. "You're back. My daddy's back."

Captain Beckett came to visit him, almost everyday for three months, and through that time—one of the most difficult periods of his life—he found himself—his true self—once again. He had been lost, yet this woman he hadn't known three months ago, managed to pull him out of the depths of uncertainty and onto solid ground. Through it all, she stayed by his side, never asking more than he was willing to give or share, all the while giving and sharing of herself, putting them on equal footing, making them partners. She stuck it out when things got bad. When others would have left, she stayed. Because of her, Castle was no longer willing to settle for mediocrity. He wanted something more… something better than he'd had for the last six years of his life.

Something extraordinary.

By the end of those three months, she was no longer Captain Beckett to him, but simply Kate.


	3. Wanting You

**Knowing You**

* * *

a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

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**3\. Wanting You**

* * *

He was writing again. Really writing.

And it felt good. Really, really good.

It had been so long since he'd simply sat down at the small desk in the corner of his room at his mother's loft, and simply wrote anything, let alone something as amazing and exciting as what he was currently writing. _She_ had inspired him, the woman he hadn't known, but now called Kate. She was simply… extraordinary. He had never met someone like her.

After the doctors had released him from the hospital, with instructions on home treatment and care, Castle had thought he might see less of her, now that he was out of the woods, so to speak. But the opposite happened. Captain Kate Beckett would come over for dinner and movie nights. She would take Alexis out shopping, and come back for game night. Somehow—_someway_—during those three months of recovery, Kate had become a part of their little family. And then when it was just the two of them, they would snuggle up on the couch and talk for hours on end. They were not together, neither had put a label on things, but it was clear that eventually there would be something more.

It was an odd sort of arrangement, but it worked for them.

She told him things, stories about her life that she swore she'd never told anyone else. And he did the same. Day by day, night by night, they grew closer. Until one day, she finally told him the story about the other him… the other Richard Castle. And the doubts began to seep in.

"He knew just how to get under my skin," she told him, staring off into the fireplace as they sat on the sofa, his head resting in her lap as her fingers gently stroked through his unruly hair. "It was annoying as hell. He kept insisting he _knew_ me, that I _should_ know him… that we had some sort of… relationship. I guess… it intrigued me. _He_ intrigued me. It had been a while since any man interested me like he had." She paused, her lips tugging up in a smirk. "He even asked me out. I was so excited about finally going out on a date. It'd been so long. But then it turned out it wasn't a date. I'm almost ashamed to admit just how disappointed I was in that."

He swallowed and closed his eyes, trying to bask in the tender caress of her fingers as she continued telling him about this other Richard Castle, the semi-deranged lunatic from another world who managed to capture her heart in such a short time. How could he, a broken, washed up writer, even hope to compete with that? He would be lying if he said he wasn't envious. Compared to him, this other man had it all: A successful career, an adoring family, and the love of an amazing woman.

Castle didn't have the career he once had, but he did have the adoring family. Since his shooting that side of the equation had improved dramatically. Alexis had moved back to New York and was planning to apply to Columbia, declaring that she would finally get that law degree she'd always talked about getting. And his mother, the Broadway star, now looked upon him with pride, instead of the vaguely hidden disappointment in the squandering of his talent and life.

However, there was still one thing the other Richard Castle had that he wanted. And that was a real, honest relationship with the woman he loved.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked, after gently pushing him up to seating position, looking her directly in the eye.

She knitted her eyebrows together adorably, and pursed her lips, bobbing her head in consent. "Of course, Rick."

"Why are you here?" he blurted out.

Kate gave him a bemused expression. "Um, you invited me over, remember?"

"No, no," he shook his head, attempting to properly rephrase his question. "I mean, why are you here… _with me_? You're… God, Kate… you're amazing! The youngest woman in NYPD history to make captain! And me… I'm just this broken, washed up, has been. Clearly I don't deserve you, yet… here you are."

She frowned, giving him a pointed look he'd become familiar with over the last couple of months. "You done?"

He nodded, shifting nervously under her gaze. "Yep."

"Okay. That's all just bullshit, you know it," she declared.

"Really."

"Yes. And I think I know what this is really about," she asserted.

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"_Him_," she said, pulling her feet up and tucking them under her as she turned to face him. She grabbed his hands and stared directly in his eyes. "Look, Rick, I'm not going to lie to you and say I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. But _he's_ not the reason I stayed. You are. Damn it, Rick, I'm here because I want to be with _you_. I… I care about you. A lot." She sighed, and released one of his hands to brush back some loose strands hair back from her eyes, averting her gaze for a moment. "To be honest, it's never really been about him. He just nudged me in the right direction. Pointed me towards you." She bit her lower lip and glanced back up at him. "I'm in love with you… _you_… not him."

Castle had no reason to doubt her, the conviction and sincerity in her eyes was enough to convince him. He let out a strangled gasp, the emotion impact of having this extraordinary woman love him almost overwhelming. "Really? You… you love me?"

"Yes," she bobbed her head, not even bothering to hide the tears of happiness in her eyes. "Yes. I love you, Rick."

A smile broke out across his face, and he looked up at her in awe. "I love you, too, Kate," Castle confessed, his healing heart pounding profoundly beneath this chest. "I've been falling in love with you since that day I woke up in the hospital. I know we've only known each for little over three months, but I already can't imagine my life without you in it."

She licked her lips and her eyes flirted down to his. "I feel the same. I don't want him, Rick. I want you. I… I just want you."

Gently, he untangled their clasped hands, and reached up to cup her face in his palms. He caressed her cheeks with the pad of his thumbs, and gazed into those gorgeous eyes that had intrigued him so much from the start. And then he kissed her, slow and tender, taking his time to explore the sensual curve of her mouth. Kate closed her eyes, and leaned into him. A delightful little sound rose up from her throat, and he moaned in reply. Her hands moved up to cradle his face, her fingers carding tenderly through the short strands of hair along the back of his head. She was the one that deepened the kiss, rubbing their noses together as she nipped at his lips and jaw, caressing the shell of his ears as she pulled him closer.

Afterwards, they cuddled together on the sofa, staring lazily at the burning embers of the fire, occasionally stealing a few more kisses. They didn't go any further that night. He was still recovering, and his doctors had advised against any strenuous activities, a point they had emphasized by casting a strong look in Kate's direction when they'd said it. But for now, this was enough. Knowing she loved him, and that she wanted him was enough.

And it inspired him. So now, when she had to be at work, Richard Castle found himself writing about a different her, with a different name. _Nikki Heat_. She'd probably hate the name, but he was positive that after Kate read part of his manuscript for _Heat Wave_, which borrowed plot elements from some of the cases she had told him about from when she'd still been a detective, she would come around.

After all, he had recently discovered that Captain Beckett was a closeted Richard Castle fangirl.


	4. Dating You

**Knowing You**

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a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

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**4\. Dating You**

* * *

She discovered it by accident.

His manuscript.

Castle had wanted to get further along in writing it before showing it to her. The thought being that the more material she had to critique, the fairer her judgment would be. Boy, had he guessed wrong on that account. They had their first fight… or rather, really, their first argument. He wouldn't call their row a fight. It just did not fit with how it went. And it had really been an accident. She hadn't gone snooping around his desk in the office downstairs with the purpose of catching a glimpse at his novel in progress. In fact, when she learned he was writing again, she'd made it quite clear she did not want any spoilers. Kate had later claimed she was just using his laptop to check her work email. She hadn't meant to see _Heat Wave_, but he'd left word document open, so it really was partially his fault.

"Nikki Heat! Really, Castle!? What the hell kind of name is that?" she shrieked, storming into his bedroom, quite literally catching him with his pants down.

He glanced up, startled by her sudden appearance. "Oh... um... er… Kate?" he stammered in surprise, furrowing his brow in confusion, before quickly hiking his pants up and pulling the zipper shut. He'd been in the process of changing for their night out. Since it had now been a month since he was released from the hospital, both his mother and daughter had urged him to ask Captain Beckett out on an actual date. Living under the same roof, it hadn't been too difficult for Martha and Alexis to realize there had been a shift in Castle's relationship with the precinct captain.

Kate's mouth dropped and her eyes went wide. The formidable commander of the NYPD's 12th Precinct just stood there, looking for all the world like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming automobile. She blinked thrice, and ducked her head bashfully, averting her eyes. "I… I'm sorry," she stammered, her cheeks turning a rosy pink. "I should have knocked."

Castle knitted his eyebrows together, and simply shrugged. "Nothing you haven't seen before," he said. "Especially considering you've seen me in a hospital gown." He chuckled, and turned back to reach his dinner jacket. "I'm the one who's sorry. If I'd known you were waiting I would have hurried up."

"No, Rick…," she shook her head, finally pulling her eyes up off the carpet. "No, no reason to hurry on my account. Take your time. I'm more than happy to wait."

He nodded, and smiled, letting his eyes milk in the sight of her out of work attire, hair stylized, and a touch more make up than was normal for her. She was wearing a faux-fur coat, and the dress she was wearing must have a short skirt, because she almost looked like she was wearing nothing under that soft faux-fur. He was graced with a magnificent view of her breathtakingly gorgeous mile long legs. Damn. She was stunning. How lucky was he?

Castle lifted the dinner jacket off the bed and hesitated. He wasn't sure if he could yet twist his torso and rotate his shoulders without being rewarded with the pain of his scars pulling. Glancing sheepishly over at Kate, he asked, "Could I trouble you with some help?"

"Oh," she seemed surprised that he would even ask. "Um… yeah. Sure."

She stepped forward, narrowing her focus on him, on the task of helping him into his jacket. He grimaced as the surgical scar across the center of his chest pulled, but it was minor, and having Kate close helped distract him. He closed his eyes, and inhaled the enticing scent of her perfume: Cherries, with a hint of vanilla. Jacket on, he turned in place, as Kate moved her hands up his shoulders, smoothing out invisible wrinkles in the fabric.

"Physical therapy go okay?" she asked.

"Hmm," he hummed an affirmative.

"And the doctor's appointment this afternoon?" Kate flashed him a small contrite smile. She was originally going to go with him, but a case kept her at the precinct, and Alexis had to drive him over to meet with his doctor.

"Fine," Castle said with a nod of his head. "Everything's working and progression as it should. Actually Dr. Thompson was surprised at the speed of my recovery. I told him I had awesome homecare." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. "Still waiting on that sponge bath you promised to give me when I was still shackled to that hospital bed."

"That was a joke, and you know it," Kate pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, slightly listing into him, bumping her forehead against his. "Besides… I'm still holding out for the main event," she purred seductively, stealing a kiss from him.

"Soon," he husked.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"I'll hold you to that," she curled his fingers around his neck and pressed her lips back against his eager mouth.

Castle hummed in contentment, canting into her, his arms dropping to her slender waist, clutching her close as he lazily kissed her back, relishing every second of their embrace. Sighing happily, he leaned back and gazed into her hazel eyes, seeing nothing but adoration and love reflected back. It felt good. It had been a long time since he'd seen such genuine and honest feelings staring back at him from the eyes of a beautiful woman that wasn't related to him.

He frowned; a thought suddenly occurred him.

"How'd you get in?" he asked, silently chiding himself on not yet providing his girlfriend with a key to the loft. She came over enough times during the week, when there wasn't some high-profile case or some internal NYPD political function she had to attend. She hated the politics at One Police Plaza. It was a necessary evil, she'd told him once. Staying on top of the comings and goings of 1PP allowed her to ensure her squad and precinct weren't left without resources or funding they needed to maintain law and order.

"Your mother," Kate answered, her fingers fiddling with his lapels. She pursed her lips in an attempt to stifle some bit of amusement. "She… she tried offering me a loan of her pearl necklace for the evening. But I declined." Her dancing fingers moved up to caress his jawline. "I'm a simple girl, with simple tastes."

"Oh, is that so?" he inquired, quirking up an eyebrow.

"Yep," she quipped back, seductively pulling her lower lip under her teeth, before pulling back from him, letting her fingers linger along his biceps as she slipped away. She sauntered toward the door, hiding in an extra sway of her hip just to torture him.

Clearing his throat, he rushed to join her. He extended his arm, and she flicked coy eyes up at him, before smiling happily and slinking her arm around his. "It's a cop name, by the way," he murmured.

"Hmm?"

"Nikki Heat," he reminded her. "It's a cop name."

"No, it's not," she leveled him with a glare, but he didn't mind. She was ridiculously hot. "It's a stripper name. And I want you to change it."

"Sorry, can't do that," Castle held up his free hand to dismiss the notion. "Artistic integrity and all that." He smirked, and stopped them at the top of the stairs, placing a hand on her arm. "Just think of the titles: Summer Heat, Deadly Heat… _In Heat._" He added a leer with that last one.

Kate threw back her head and laughed, full throat and body. Her eyes sparkled as she glanced back at him. Shaking her head, she reached up and covered his mouth with her palm, ceasing his continuous list of titles, which only got more naughty the longer he went on.

"As much as I'm enjoying this conversation, we should get going," she said. "I got us dinner reservations at Q3."

"Wow!" he exclaimed, eyes going wide in astonishment. "How'd you manage that? When the place first opened, I tried getting reservations, but the wait list was too long. And my fame had sizzled out by then." He paused, leaning close, and inquired dramatically, _sotto voce_, "Did you have to arrest someone?"

"Oh, nothing like that. Though, I did once work a case involving the head chef," she flashed him an enigmatic grin. "But no… truth is, I know the owner."


	5. Loving You (part 1)

**Knowing You**

* * *

a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

* * *

**5\. Loving You (part 1)**

* * *

He was very intrigued by the invitation, and a little curious as to any ulterior motives the lovely police captain might have, but all the same, when she made the offer, he couldn't very well refuse. She had called him just after three, asking if he'd be up for dinner at Remy's, a diner located not far from the 12th Precinct. Over the course of the last month, it had slowly become one of their favorite lunchtime eateries. Castle had been surprised at just how much Captain Beckett enjoyed a good burger, with sweet potato fries on the side, and a strawberry shake. But this was the first time Kate had actually asked him to meet up with her at the end of her shift. Usually, she just came over to the loft. He'd never yet ventured into her domain.

It made him self-conscious of what he perceived as his shortcomings. But Captain Beckett told him to meet her at the precinct, so there he went. He could not deny the gorgeous police captain, especially when she'd reward him with hugs and kisses… sometimes even more. Three nights ago, she spent the night in his bed… yet they were still bound by doctor's orders not to engaged in, as he so eloquently put it, 'extracurricular activities'. So they did the best they could, and what followed was probably the most intense and passionate make out session of his life, all foreplay and no sex. It was both exhilarating and extremely unsatisfying.

It was agony. Pure, unadulterated agony.

_Soon_, he told himself, bouncing his clasped hands between his knees as he sat in the 12th Precinct's lobby, waiting for his girlfriend to appear.

_His girlfriend_. The concept still somewhat baffled him. It had been a long time—too long—since Castle had actually had an actually girlfriend. Sure, he'd had his fair share of trysts over the course of the last five years with a veritable assortment of women, none with any substance. He had not been looking for love with them. But with Kate Beckett that was different. With her Castle actually saw more than a good time. He saw a relationship—a real, honest relationship, the likes of which he really hadn't had since college with Kyra Blaine.

The sharp staccato of her heels alerted him to her presence, snapping him out of his ruminations. He stood up from the chair he'd been sitting in and was greeted with a beaming smile from Captain Katherine Beckett. He couldn't help but smile back.

"Hey, Rick…," she greeted, leaning in to press a chaste kiss against his cheek. "Were you waiting down here? You could have just come up to the bullpen. Sergeant Myovich would have let you through."

"Oh, that's okay," Castle waved off. "I didn't want to be a bother."

Kate pursed her lips and gave him a little look, before looping her arm around his and leaning into his side as they started for the door. "You, Mr. Castle, are never a bother," she asserted with a sincere expression. "Besides, you could have met the boys."

"Yeah, about that, did I meet them before…?" he asked, his voice trailing off at the end, unable to conceal his uncertainty and confusion. He frowned and glanced out at the busy traffic as they exited the precinct and began walking down the sidewalk.

"Oh… um, yeah, I guess," she responded at length, her eyebrows knitting together, having paused for a moment to fill in the rest of his unspoken question. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," he shrugged nonchalantly as they stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to turn green. "It's just... last week when I stopped by with coffee before heading off to that meeting with Black Pawn about getting _Heat Wave_ published they seemed… I don't know… familiar with me, like they knew who I was."

"They do… sort of," she replied, squeezing her arm tighter around his as the light changed, and they walked across the intersection. "In fact, Esposito and Ryan both interrogated the 'other you' the moment he came into the bullpen making wild claims and assertions of consulting with us on cases."

"I sort of got the impression they wouldn't buy the whole alternate reality story," Castle said.

Kate snorted, and her lips quirked up ever so slightly. "No, they didn't," she confirmed. "Esposito thought the 'other you' was crazy. He even went so far as to question my reasons for letting you—the other you—work the case with us. He's still a little skeptical. So yeah… best we leave out the whole alternate reality stuff. Honestly, there are still times I question my own sanity. Never in my life would I've ever imagined that I'd believe in such utter fantasy."

"And now?" Castle licked his lips nervously. "You do… believe it, that is?"

They came to a halt in front of Remy's entrance. Kate turned into him, running her fingers along the lapels of his sport coat, straightening them out as she flicked her beautiful hazel eyes up to meet his. "It brought me to you, so yes, I believe it," she said, voice firm in her conviction. "And I wouldn't change that for… for anything." She paused, nose wrinkling adorably. "Well, except you getting shot."

"I wouldn't," Castle asserted, shocking her. She gaped at him, eyes large. He smiled at her, letting his hands drop to her hips, securing her in place as he shifted closer. "These past months, though a painful struggle at times, have actually been some of the happiest of my life." He felt like he was bouncing with energy and excitement as he gazed into her eyes. "I… I feel reborn, like I've been given a new lease on life. A second chance. My relationships with my daughter and mother have drastically improved. And I've gotten to know you." He paused, and brought a hand up to her face, cradling her jaw in his palm. "I've found love. And that, Kate Beckett, is something I would never wish to change."

She let out a breathy sigh, canting into him as they shared a kiss that might have been a little bit inappropriate for their current surroundings, but neither of them seemed to mind. Castle certainly didn't. She bit her lower lip as she pulled back, gazing up at him with large eyes that reflected back with a deep love Castle had long ago given up on once upon a time.

Kate leaned in for another quick kiss, nipping at his lower lip as she pulled back. "Um… Rick… yesterday… did the doctor clear you?" she asked, momentarily stunning him into silence with her unexpected question.

Castle raised his eyebrows in understanding, easily catching her meaning when he noticed her pupils dilate with a very different kind of love—a more visceral, physical kind of love. "Um… yes, yes he has," he confirmed. His heart palpitated anxiously beneath his chest as he stared back into her darkening eyes.

"Really!?" her face lit up with excitement. "You're not yanking my chain, are you? The doctor really cleared you for—?"

"Yes, yes," he bobbed his head, her enthusiasm infectious.

A pleased grin spread across her beautiful features. "Then what would you say to skipping dinner and heading back to my place."

Castle stared at her for a long moment, before he responded by grabbing her hand and tugging her with him as he rushed towards the curb. Ignoring the pull of the scars in the center of his chest, he raised his hand up into the air, above his head, and signaled for a cab.

"Rick… what are you doing?" she laughed lightly behind him, her face alight with amusement and joy. "We can walk."

"Too slow!" he puffed out.

Kate hesitated for a moment, before inclining her head with a decisive nod. "You're right." She nudged him aside and let out a sharp, high-pitched whistle. Almost immediately a taxi pulled up to the curb. Kate grinned victoriously and opened the door, ushering him in. She climbed into the backseat after him, practically shouting her address to the cabbie. And then she was on him, kissing him with a passion and hunger that conquered any worry he had about their audience. The cabbie merely chuckled, shifting gears and easing the taxi back into the stream of traffic, as if this wasn't the first—or the last—time he'd picked up a couple eager to get back to one of their apartments.


	6. Loving You (part 2)

_*A/N: This chapter straddles the line between T and M, but I don't think I crossed it, so I'm just saying this chapter's a very strong T._

* * *

**Knowing You**

* * *

a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

* * *

**6\. Loving You (part 2)**

* * *

Her hands were everywhere, gripping and tugging at his shirt. He moaned, his entire body shuddering with the euphoric burst of pleasure as her hot mouth sucked along the slope of his neck. Her teeth grazed against his skin, and she moved back up, nipping at his jawline. Castle moved his hands up and cupped her face in his palms, tilting her head up to meet him. He found her mouth easily, and attacked, kissing her with an unrestrained passion and intent. She whimpered, her warm body melting into his embrace as he dipped his head to get a better angle, drinking in the sweet fragrance that was Captain Kate Beckett.

Unfortunately, they had to pull apart to breathe. Castle rested his forehead against hers, panting hard as he tried to replenish his supply of oxygen. His lungs retracted and expanded with each hot breath he shared with the woman he had not known a little over four months ago. It was almost impossible to remember a time when he did not love her. It was like they were fated for one another.

"You doing okay?" Kate husked, her nimble fingers deftly working loose the buttons of his shirt.

Castle bobbed his head, huffing out an affirmation. He wasn't about to tell her that the surgical scar along his side was throbbing from all the blood pumping through his veins. He could deal with the discomfort. They had waited long enough. It was time for them to take their relationship to the next level. Besides, he had been medically cleared for such activities.

His chest heaved as he watched her go about her task. He stole another kiss, and then returned the favor, though a little more clumsily than her. She laughed lightly as he fumbled with the buttons of her shirt, but did not complain. She rewarded him with little light kiss, tender and sweet… loving. His heart thumped profoundly at that last revelation. What they were leading up to tonight was going to be so much more than sex. It felt different. Special. Tonight, when they finally connected in that most intimate of ways two people could, they would be making love.

Rolling her shoulders, Kate shrugged her shirt off. She pirouetted in place, and he ran his hands up and down her bare arms, dropping a kiss or two on her naked shoulders. Her skin was soft and gorgeous. She was gorgeous. With hands shaking from excited anticipation, Castle unclasped her bra and helped her slip out of it. She turned back around, free and unencumbered. He greedily raked his eyes over her, relishing the exposed skin now available for his viewing pleasure.

"Extraordinary," he whispered, tentatively reaching up to palm one breast, feeling the satisfying weight of it in his hand. He gently massaged the flesh, flicking his thumb to tease her as he bent down to claim her mouth in a kiss.

Kate moaned, arching up into his touch. She reciprocated his kiss with the same passion and intensity, encouraging his hands to roam and explore her exposed skin. Castle hugged her close, pressing his chest to hers as his fingers flew up into her hair, clumsily undoing the bun and letting the rich brown tresses flow free, cascading down her neck and shoulders. He skimmed a hand down her back, and palmed her ass, eliciting a surprised gasp from the highly professional precinct captain.

Castle pulled back a bit, peppering kisses along the column of her throat and across her gorgeous collarbones. He moved his hand down to her waist, clutching her hip to hold her steady as he moved further down, intent on worshipping her breasts with his mouth, when Kate gently nudged him back just as he began working on the belt buckle keeping him from what lay beneath her charcoal colored slacks.

"Whoa, easy there, Rick… not yet," she chided softly, leaning in to brush a reassuring kiss to his lips, a promise. "It's my turn now."

Kate parted his shirt open, shoving it over his shoulders and tugging it down his arm. She tossed it down, where it joined her blouse on the floor. Castle held his breath, feeling her cool hands spread out over his hot chest. His heart beat with a nervous tick, and he pursed his lips, a little self-conscious about his appearance. He hadn't been in the best of shape before he'd been shot, and the ordeal had taken a lot out of him. Recovery and physical therapy had been trying. He'd lost some weight, gained some muscle mass, but still several scars marred his skin, from both the bullets and the surgery that had saved his life.

She tilted her head up and melded her mouth with his, kissing him reassuringly as her hand flattened over the scar above his heart. He sighed, relaxing into her as she nipped at his lips, dipping her head down to press a series of reverent kisses across the array of bullet scars on his chest.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of, Rick," Kate asserted in a quiet voice, warm and tender, as if she'd read his mind. "These scars are beautiful. They're a testament to your will to live, to fight back against the odds and survive." She stepped back and gazed at him with adoration shining in her eyes. "I love you, Rick… scars and all." She paused, keeping one hand planted on his chest, while the other caressed his side, soothing the throbbing surgical scar there. "If our roles had been reversed, would you have found me less attractive because I had scars."

"No, never," he declared without any hesitation, his voice firm.

She pursed her lips and smiled up at him, a serene and beautiful smile. "Then stop worrying, you big goof," she joked, gently poking him in his side. He let out an unmanly squeak, but bobbed his head in obedience. She kissed him again, quick and direct. "Now… I think it's time I take you to bed, Mr. Castle."

"Please do, Captain Beckett," he grinned back.

Kate took his hand, her eyes darkening with carnal intent, and she cast him a smoldering look before she led him to her bedroom.

XXX

"You hungry?" she asked softly, sweeping a hand across his sweat-slicked chest. He didn't answer. He was still to busy trying to catch his breath. Kate furrowed her brow, her nose wrinkling adorably as she contemplated her own question. "We should probably order in."

"Huh?" he puffed, blinking his eyes as he tried to recover from the blissful euphoria he'd been swimming in after—what was it?—round three? "What… what did you say?" he managed to breathe out.

Kate shifted, pressing her deliciously nude body against his side as she rose up on an elbow, gazing down at him with a satisfied smirk on her lips. "Wow! Did I render Richard Castle speechless?"

He swallowed thickly, his body still thrumming from his recent release. Wetting his lips with his tongue, he arched his neck to return her gaze. "You're incredible," he murmured, managing to move his arm around her torso so he could skim his fingers up and down her bare back.

"Hmm," Kate let out an almost feline like purr, arching into his touch. "You're not so bad yourself, Castle." She leaned forward, one hand on his chest for support, and kissed him, slow and deliberately. He sighed in pleasure at the promise in that kiss. She smirked at him, and snuggled closer, dropping a kiss in the center of his heaving chest, before settling in and listening to the steady beat of his heart. She hummed in approval at what she heard. "It's strong."

Castle reached up to comb her hair back from her beautiful face, still flushed with their recent activities. "Because of you," he declared. "I… I honestly don't know if I would have survived recovery without you, Kate. You've been with me for every step of the way. Your drive and tenacity—_and love_—encouraged me to get better."

"And you did," she grinned, biting her lower lip as she buried her face into his chest. "A lot. Rick, that little move we did, it… damn… that should have been impossible with where you are in your recovery. When you said the doctor had cleared you, I can honestly say I hadn't expected us to get so—"

"Enthusiastic?" he supplied with a blissful grin.

Kate bobbed her head as she chewed on her lower lip. She gazed up at him and frowned. "I… I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked, worriedly. "During round two I sort of got a little carried away. It… it's been so long. And the wait was… excruciating. I'm amazed we both didn't spontaneously combust with all the pent up desire."

"No, no… don't worry," Castle assured, squeezing his arms tighter around her, dropping his nose into her hair and breathing in her glorious scent. "I'm good. Better than good. I'm great."

"Good," she smiled, rising up to kiss him again. Sighing, she pulled away and snuggled back into him. "So… did you want to get something to eat?"

"You know," he answered slowly, drawling out his words. "I am a bit peckish, yes."

Summoning up all his strength, Castle flipped Kate over onto her back. The indomitable police captain erupted in a fit of surprised and delighted giggles. Her face was alight with love and joy… it was beautiful. He hovered above her, silencing her protests with a heated, lingering kiss. Pulling away from her chasing lips, Castle peppered hot wet kisses down her undulating body.

"Hmm. Yep," he huffed out, teasing her navel with a flick of his tongue as he reached out with his hands and gently nudged her legs apart. "I could definitely eat something."

Her head lolled back against the pillows and she sighed his name as he found his desired meal.


	7. Only You

**Knowing You**

* * *

a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

* * *

**7\. Only You**

* * *

"No," she shook her head, standing up and putting her hands on her desk as she leaned forward. "No. No. Absolutely not."

Castle smirked at the fire in her eyes as she glared at him. "You know, you're cute when you're angry," he couldn't keep the observation to himself. Her eyes narrowed in response. He swallowed nervously and took a cautious step back. "But not when you're angry at me."

Captain Beckett huffed out an annoyed breath, and crossed her arms over her chest, radiating her full authority as the commanding officer of the 12th Precinct. She was intimidating as hell. Castle could sympathize with all the officers serving under her. Then again, he'd been spending a lot of time under her… and over her… but mainly under her. Kate Beckett liked to be on top. He had no complaints, of course; she was insatiable and it loved that about her. But he was itching for more. Black Pawn was thrilled with _Heat Wave_ and his return to his bread and butter of murder mysteries. They especially liked the character of Nikki Heat. They wanted more. He wanted more. But he wanted it to be authentic, to have real depth. Castle wanted to do Nikki Heat justice. And to do that, he'd need to do some hands on research.

He thought it would be easy, considering he had an in with the highest-ranking officer at the 12th Precinct. But boy, had he been wrong.

Regaining some of his courage, he took a step forward, trying to soften the indomitable captain with one of his charming smiles. He'd spent the last few weeks learning how to make her come undone with just the flick of a finger, so he felt confident in his ability to win her over with his latest idea.

"Come on, Kate," he said with a winning smile and waggle of his eyebrows. "You know you wanna. It'll be fun."

"Fun!?" she harrumphed and rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me? God, Castle, need I remind you what happened the last time you 'followed' me around?"

That stopped him in his tracks. He blinked, struck dumb, with no retort to that statement. It took but a moment for Kate to realize what she'd just said. Her eyes went wide, and her expression rapidly transformed from exasperated irritation to apologetic contrition. Her jaw bobbed up and down, and her shoulders slumped slightly.

"Castle… I… I'm sorry, I didn't mean that," she rushed out, voice soft and quiet.

He brought a hand up to rub at the center of his chest, feeling the scars throb with each thump of his heart. "No… I think you did," he said.

"Castle—"

He shook his head, raising a hand to halt her. He sighed, and stepped back, swallowing hard past the sudden lump in his throat. How stupid could he be? Of course she didn't want him following her around, observing and doing research, maybe even helping to solve some cases. No. Not when _he_ had done it first. The reminder stung. It hadn't been him, not really. It had been the other Castle. The one from the other place. He was the one she had actually fallen in love with, not him. He was just her consolation prize.

"No, Kate. No. Just another reminder that I'm not him. I can never really be him. Right? Is that it. Even after all this time… all we've been through together. You still… you still wish I was him, don't you?"

"No, Castle… that's not true," Kate insisted, imploring him with watery eyes to believe her.

He pursed his lips together and looked away, feeling the rejection build up behind his eyes. He wanted to believe her. He really did. But it was difficult. No matter how long they were together there would always be that small place in the back of his mind that wondered… wondered if she was only with him because of the other him. The doubt would always be there. And it hurt. It hurt so much to acknowledge that.

"It's okay," he mumbled, almost in a daze. "I get it. I understand. You love him. But he's gone. So you're left with me."

"No," she shook her head, advancing from around her desk. "No. You're wrong. I love _you_, Rick. Not him. Never him. Just you. Only you." And before he knew it, her hands were gripping his face and she was surging towards him, her eager mouth colliding with his in a heated kiss.

His body went lax as he melted into the kiss, his floundering hands finding purchase around her waist. She pressed further into him, reassuring him, claiming him, making him hers. Even when his lungs started to protest from lack of oxygen, he stayed put, breathing her in instead. After what seemed like forever, Kate pulled back, gasping for air, her lips wet and quivering from the fervor of their kiss.

"Only you," Kate repeated in a breathless, husky voice, tenderly caressing her fingers down the side of his face, reverent and loving.

Castle closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, each refilling their lungs with air from the shared space between them.

"I'm sorry," he murmured when he managed to calm his erratically beating heart. "I'm sorry I accused you for loving _him_ and not me. I know that isn't true. It… it's just… he knew you before me." He licked his lips, slumping his shoulders in shame. "I guess it makes me a little jealous sometimes."

"Oh, Rick… no, no, no," she shook her head, leaning in to press a reassuring kiss against his neck. "He never knew this me. Never. His Kate… she wasn't me. He loved me, yes… but he loved a different version of me. Yes, he intrigued me, fascinated me, and I was attracted him, yes… but he was not the man I fell in love with. Not him. You. You are the man I fell in love with. You are the man I love. Not him. Never him." She kissed him again, soft and tender. "Just you. Only you. Always you."

Castle sighed, and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. She returned his embrace, burying her nose into his shoulder, and he could feel her breath deeply, as if she needed to breathe him in to reassure herself that he was still there. Pulling back, and carded his fingers through his hair, flashing an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, I guess… even after all this time, I still held some doubts," he said.

"Well, doubt no more, Rick," she commanded, reaching up to smooth out the lapels of his jacket. "Okay?"

"Okay," Castle agreed. He sucked in a deep breath, and offered her a smile. She smiled back, and then pulled away, moving back around her desk. "So… that's still a no on following you around?"

She laughed lightly, eyes sparkling as she flicked her gaze back up to him. "Never getting rid of you, am I?"

"Nope… I'm like a fungus… I just keep growing."

Kate scrunched her nose at that. "Not the best analogy."

"Yeah, probably not," he conceded with a nod.

She brushed back some hair and sat back down in her chair, blushing slightly as her gaze wandered over to the windows that looked out onto the homicide bullpen. Castle followed her gaze and noticed that many of the uniforms and detectives were standing their gawking. Ryan and Esposito looked like they were trying to stifle laughs, while surreptitiously exchanging a wad of cash between one another.  
Castle glanced back towards Captain Beckett with a worried expression. She bit her lower lip and looked away, studiously trying to ignore her subordinates.

"Kate, don't worry. Nothing to be embarrassed about," Castle tried to reassure her, stepping up and resting his hip against the edge of her desk. "You've already earned their respect. I highly doubt that seeing you exchange a kiss—albeit a rather passionate kiss—with your boyfriend will affect how they see you."

"Perhaps," she concurred with a shrug of her shoulders, ducking her head down and pretending like she was reviewing the forms she'd been looking over before he'd shown up unannounced with his brilliant idea. "It was still unprofessional."

"Hey, don't think that way," he tried to reassure her, just like she'd just done for him. "Think of it this way, it'll just make you more human… more approachable."

Kate smirked, flicking her eyes up to met his. "Okay, yeah… besides, you right. I'm happy and in love. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." Her eyes radiated that happiness and love and her smile was warm and soft… just for him.

"That's right," he winked, feeling a lot better than he had a few minutes ago. And it helped that he could see the look of love radiating out from her glowing expression as she gazed up at him from behind her desk. He shifted his backside, trying to get more comfortable on the edge of her desk. He bumped into something, and before he could react, the parade of elephants Kate had on display on top of her desk, skidded off the side and tumbled to the floor, landing with a resounded crack.

"No!" Kate let out a cry of surprise, and stood up, arching her body over the desk to glance down. "Oh… no. No," her voice cracked as she saw the pieces on the floor. One side of the elephants had snapped off and it now lay in two pieces. She flicked her eyes back up at him, and Castle swallowed anxiously, face growing red with guilt and shame.

He slid off the side of her desk. "God, I'm sorry, Kate," he flashed her an apologetic look. "It was your mother's right?"

She bobbed her head in reply, her eyes growing watery as she stared down at the devastation. "She said they reminded her of family." Her gaze flicked back to his, and she shook her head, her expression sad but not angry. "Only you, Rick." It was an attempt at humor, and he offered her a weak smile in response, heartened that she wasn't yelling at him for being such a klutz.

With a heavy heart, feeling terrible for destroying something of such value to the woman he loved, Castle dropped down to his knees to scoop up the two pieces. He picked them up and paused. That was strange. It didn't appear to be broken. In fact, it looked like the piece that had snapped off was intended to do so. Curious. He rotated the broken piece around and saw that there was a hidden compartment. He looked back down on the floor and spotted something else.

"Hey, what's this?" he spoke aloud, bending down to snatch it up.

Following him with her watery eyes, Kate sniffled. "What?"

Castle held it up for her to see. "It's a tape."


	8. Standing By You

**Knowing You**

* * *

a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

* * *

**8\. Standing By You**

* * *

Rick Castle had no idea that a single accident could have such broad reaching ramifications. But then again, wasn't that what life was? Just a collection of happy—and some sad—accidents. Maybe there was a thing to this whole alternate universe idea or rather the idea of the multi-verse. The decisions he made affected his life. But for every decision he made, there were also an infinite number of other decisions that he could have chosen. The possibilities were endless. There was even probably a Rick Castle out there who never had the pleasure of meeting the extraordinary Captain Kate Beckett.

He pitied that Castle, knowing just how dull and boring his life was without the amazing woman he'd been lucky enough to meet. He could have been like that if it hadn't been for the other Castle. He may be envious of the other man for having known Kate first, but he would be forever grateful for whatever cosmic hiccup brought him into this universe, and striking the match, so to speak, that sparked Captain Beckett's interest that would eventually bring her to him.

And now, through an innocent accident—a mistake by all accounts—Castle now found himself standing outside the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. as Captain Beckett went inside to arrest the man who had ordered the death of her mother.

It had been a busy three weeks since they had discovered the microcassette audiotape that had been hidden in the porcelain Parade of Elephants Kate had had on displayed on her desktop. When they finally found the compatible equipment to play it, and listened to what was on it, Castle had known immediately that Beckett was going to need him. And she had. For those three weeks, he stood by her side as they scoured over old reports and case files from the NYPD archives, searching for something that would provide confirmation as to what Beckett and her colleague, Detectives Esposito and Ryan, suspected once they'd recognized one of the voices on the tape.

Captain Roy Montgomery—retired, had been Beckett's mentor and friend. She had told him about how Montgomery had found her in the archives on evening when she was still in uniform, breaking protocol by being down there, but instead of writing her up on report, he'd let her be, eventually taking her under his wing and teaching her everything he knew about being a great detective. He had groomed her to replace him when he retired, so when his involvement in this conspiracy was uncovered, it was difficult for Beckett to accept.

She struggled with the evidence, not wanting to believe it, but in the end, Beckett could not ignore what was in front of her. After a week of sitting on it, taking the time to absorb as much background information as they could, Beckett went to visit the retired captain. And she asked Castle to go with her. After the pleasantries and necessary small talk was out of the way, Beckett wasted no time, cutting straight to the heart of the issue.

When it became clear they had proof, Montgomery came clean, confessing to taking part in an extortion scheme in the 1980s with John Raglan and Gary McCallister to punish the mobs and gangs, and how during one of their escapades he'd accidently shot a killed an undercover FBI agent named Bob Armen. Raglan and McCallister had then framed it on Joe Pulgatti, a mob enforcer. And it was then, that an up and coming Assistant District Attorney discovered what they'd done. But instead of turning them in, he blackmailed them for the money they'd extorted from the mob. And that ADA had used that money to become the man he was today—the leading candidate in the current presidential election: Senator William Bracken.

Castle sat in Montgomery's office and listened as the man poured his soul out, telling Beckett that when he'd first saw her he'd seen it as a sign from God, directing him towards salvation and ultimately his redemption. He'd tried to be the best damn cop he could be, but the past still weighed heavily on him.

To Castle's great surprise, Beckett forgave her former captain. With watery eyes and sorrowful expression, the two embraced. Montgomery offered his testimony and confession to help Beckett get justice, willing to face the consequences of his actions, no matter the cost. And then, before they could make their leave, Montgomery had stood up from his chair and walked over to a painting on the wall in his office. He took the painting down, and unlocked the wall safe hidden behind it. Inside had been a stack of files, more evidence they could use to bring down the aspiring Presidential candidate.

It took two more weeks after that to compile and review all the evidence with federal agents—Agent Shaw of the FBI and Agent Fallon of Homeland Security, to name a few—before seeking an arrest warrant from the US Attorney's office. Beckett called in some favors with some of her other acquaintances working in the Justice Department so that she could make the collar.

They were met by a large contingent of Metro police and Federal agents when they arrived at the US Capitol Building. Castle had squeezed her hand, promising to still be there when she was done, before Captain Beckett took off with the Federal authorities to arrest Presidential hopeful William H. Bracken.

A commotion from the top of the stairs pulled Castle out of his memories. He glanced up, and watched as Beckett emerged with a handcuffed Bracken. The man's face was blank, but his posture was one of defeat. Castle watched with pride as Beckett guided the senator down the steps, before she handed him off to the Justice Department agents waiting at the curb. The agents directed the corrupt politician into the back of a patrol car. And then, almost as fast as it had begun, it was over.

Kate Beckett turned her back on the disgraced senator, ignoring the man's glare, not even watching as the patrol car drove away. Instead, her gaze was focused on Castle. She offered him a weak smile, and walked over to join him where he stood off to the side, away from the spotlight. She pursed her lips and ducked her head as she grabbed his hands.

He felt so much pride and love, Castle almost thought he might simply burst from all the emotions he was feeling for the woman before him.

"She's proud of you," he said. "Wherever she is, she's proud."

Beckett nodded, raising her eyes to meet his. "I couldn't have done this without you, Castle," she asserted, her lips quirking up in a small smile as she chuckled softly. "Quite literally. If you hadn't bumped into my desk and knocked over those porcelain elephants, I would never have found the proof I needed to get justice for my mom."

He nodded, and squeezed her hands in return, shifting to pull her into a firm embrace, holding her tight against him. She shifted her head, nuzzling her nose against his neck, as he dipped his head down and inhaled the comforting fragrance of her cherry-scented shampoo. Beckett sighed, and gently pulled back. She looked up into his eyes with large expression orbs that said so much, more than words could ever say.

"Marry me!" she blurted out, startling them both.

His mouth dropped and her shocked expression mirrored his own.

"Kate?" he questioned at length, confused as to what had prompted such a declaration.

She heaved in a deep breath, and reacquired a hold of his hands, offering them a reassuring squeeze before launching into her explanation. "I know we have only known each other for just over half a year, but I cannot deny the connection we share," she said, gaining courage the longer she spoke. "It is a bond I had long ago given up on having with someone. When my mother died, something inside me changed. I built up a wall around my heart, and unwilling to risk the possibility of love for fear of being hurt like that again. But then you came into my life and opened my eyes, obliterating that wall and claiming my heart. You brought me out of the darkness and into the light, shown me that love does, indeed, exist." She paused for a breath. "I love you, Rick. I do. With all my heart. I love you more than I thought I possibly could love someone. And I know this seems rushed, and ill-timed—and it is—but I know in my heart that there is nothing more in this life I want than to be your wife." She bit her lower lip, glancing up at him with an almost bashful expression. "So, Richard Edgar Alexander Rodgers Castle… will you marry me?"

He didn't have to think at all to know what his answer would be. He wrapped his arms around her, tugging her closer as he pressed a soaring kiss to her lips. "Yes," he bobbed his head, a happy smile spreading across his face. "Yes, Katherine Houghton Beckett, I will marry you."


	9. Marrying You

**Knowing You**

* * *

a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

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**9\. Marrying You**

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"You ready?"

"Oh, so ready," she replied with a beaming smile, hooking her arm around his and listing into his side, all happy and carefree. So full of love and life. So very different than she was when he first met her.

The last four months had passed by quicker than he would have expected. After everything they had been through, Captain Beckett did not want a long engagement. Four days after her sudden proposal, they had began planning. And with the help of their family and friends they were now approaching the final stretch.

"T-minus 72 hours until we are married!" Kate grinned, leaning into his side, all bubbly. "This feels like a dream."

He smirked. "That's because I'm dreamy."

"Oh, shush," she pulled back and smacked his shoulder, a playful twinkle in her eyes. He winked at her, and she smiled back, pushing up on her toes to meet him as he dipped his head down, stealing a quick kiss as they waited in line.

"Next!" the clerk shouted.

Castle grinned at his fiancée and squeezed her hand as they stepped up to the counter. He had never felt this light and happy. It had been so different with his two previous marriages. Her getting pregnant with Alexis had motivated his first marriage to Meredith. With Gina it had been because they seemed so right on paper. But with Captain Katherine Beckett, it was entirely different. He wanted to marry her, build a life with her, not because she was pregnant or because they looked right for each other on paper, but because he loved her. Sure, he had love Meredith and Gina, but not to the extent he loved Kate Beckett.

This was how it was always supposed to be.

The clerk glanced up at him, looking overworked and underpaid.

"Oh," he snapped out of his reverie, and handed over the paperwork, all signed and dotted.

The clerk took the documents, tilting her head down as she skimmed over the material. "Mister Richard Castle and Miss Katherine Beckett?"

"That's us!" Castle grinned widely, gesturing between them. Kate mirrored his smile and rested her head on his shoulder.

The clerk flicked her eyes back up at them and smiled tightly as she tapped her fingers across the keyboard. She looked back at her computer monitor and continued typing.

"Proof of divorce?" she asked.

Castle reached inside his jacket and retrieved the documentation they had known would be required. He handed them over to the clerk, who quickly reviewed the stack of papers, before she put them aside. She laced her fingers together and then returned their expectant gaze. There was an awkward moment where Castle was afraid he'd forgotten something.

"Um… is there something wrong with my documents?" he questioned anxiously, exchanging a confused look with his fiancée.

"They're in order," the clerk said, shifting to look at Kate. "Miss Beckett, do you have yours?"

Beside him Kate jerked up, glancing at the clerk with startled eyes. "Pardon me?"  
"Your divorce paperwork," the clerk sighed, sounding annoyed.

Kate laughed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry," she said, placing a hand on the counter as she leaned forward. "There's some sort of mistake here. I've never been married."

The clerk clucked her tongue and gestured towards her monitor. "Well according to this, you have. And it looks like you still are."

"I'm married!?" Kate hooted, shocked and indignant, her brow wrinkling with confusion. She arched her neck, trying to get a look at the computer screen. The clerk obliged, swiveling the monitor around so they could see the proof.

Castle frowned, glancing over her shoulder as her mouth dropped in surprise. "To whom?" he asked.

XXX

Kate was beyond mortified by the entire situation. Castle tried to reassure her with by attempting to see the humor in things, but that hadn't helped. After discussing the matter with his mother and daughter, it wasn't too hard to see that she was close to freaking out. The ribbing from the boys when they'd looked up her 'husband'—Rogan O'Leary—to find out where he currently lived hadn't helped.

She had briefly dated Mr. O'Leary back during her freshman year at Stanford. Apparently, during that time, the two of them had gone to Las Vegas, had too much to drink and thought it would be a riot to take a cab to a drive through a wedding chapel. The younger Kate had thought it wasn't real. A couple of weeks later, she had broken up with the guy once she found out he was a compulsive liar, degenerate, and a thief.

Thankfully, Martha had been able to arrange an appointment for them with her attorney. Mr. Browning went over the legal side of things, and provided them with a dissolution of marriage contract that they'd have to get Rogan O'Leary to sign. Kate wanted to handle it on her own, but Castle wouldn't let her.

"I'm your fiancé," he asserted while he followed behind her at a rushed clip, sliding into the passenger seat of her department issued Ford Mustang. "You shouldn't be doing this alone. I'm going with you."

After a long pause, Kate glanced up at him with large, expressive eyes. "Thank you, babe," she said, leaning over the center console to cup his cheek in his palm and press a kiss to his lips, with gratitude and a hint of an apology. "I'm so sorry about this whole mess."

He returned the kiss, slipping his hand over hers. "I love you, Kate. Marriage is supposed to be a partnership. Doing anything less would go against that."

She offered him a watery smile, so touched by his words. "I love you, too, Rick… so very much." Kate kissed him again. "Do you think _they_ have to deal with this, too?" she asked.

He quirked up an eyebrow as he contemplated her question. "Perhaps," he replied at length. "But even if they did, I have to believe they would find a way to get through it. Because I cannot imagine a universe where Richard Castle doesn't love Katherine Beckett."

"God, your so hot right now," she surged forward and kissed him thoroughly, with tongue. She pulled back before things could get carried away and turned the keys in the ignition, revving the engine. "Let's do this. Nothing's going to stop me from marrying you."

XXX

They were in and out of Willow Creek with time to spare. Once Rogan O'Leary realized that Beckett didn't find any of the current situation amusing, he signed the dissolution of marriage contract without delay. Kate used her contacts with the district attorney's office to get the legal document expedited through the system. So when the big day finally arrived, nothing stood in their way from getting married. Castle briefly wondered if the other _them_ had faired similarly and were able to overcome the obstacles placed in front of them.

Family and friends gathered on the rooftop garden atop Martha's building. His daughter and mother had seen to the final arrangements, making sure everything was ready. And it was perfect, just as he and Kate had planned it. Castle stood up on the small platform under the white trellis, awaiting the arrival of the bride. Alexis, her dark hair styled beautifully, stood by his side, smiling proudly at him.

He looked out over the assembled guests, hardly believing that this was finally happening. Just over a year ago, he was nothing but a washed up writer with a failed career, relegated to ghost writing bodice rippers, which Kate had endlessly teased him about when she'd found out, before they reenacted some of the more titillating scenes. But now, here he was, renewed and reinvigorated, _Heat Wave_ recently published and skyrocketing up the bestseller's list, and about to marry the love of his life.

Just then, the music shifted, _Canon in D_ playing softly through the air as the maid of honor emerged and walked down the aisle, lining up opposite him on the platform. Lanie—Kate's best friend—looked lovely in the form-fitting green dress his bride had picked out for her. And now everyone was standing. He took a deep breath and turned his gaze, almost tearing up when he spotted her.

Kate looked absolutely beautiful in her mother's dress. She squeezed her arm around her father's, biting her lower lip and gazing back at Castle, her eyes twinkling with joy and happiness. Jim Beckett beamed proudly, leading his daughter up to the platform. They shared a long look. Castle's heart pumped fiercely under his ribcage, still having trouble believing that this was actually happening. He was getting married—again—but this time for all the right reasons.

Castle shook Jim's hand, as Kate handed her bouquet to Lanie before turning around and accepting her groom's hand. Their fingers interlaced perfectly as they turned to face Judge Markway, both more than ready to star their life together.

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_**A/N: Epilogue to follow shortly.**_


	10. Epilogue - A Life With You

**Knowing You**

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a "The Time Of Our Lives" story

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**10\. Epilogue – A Life With You**

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It was just past 7 AM, and they laid curled up in bed, completely and utterly sated after an early morning round of lovemaking. Castle rested his head back against the pillows and took several deep breaths as he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart. Snuggled up against his side, Kate tenderly ran her hand up and down his heaving chest, tracing her fingers over the long faded scars that had once marred his skin. It had been some years since they'd been able to really go at it like that, at least not since the kids had moved out.

It felt good to have the place to themselves, but at the same time, Castle did miss their children—playing video games with Sam and helping Laurie with discovering the wonders and joy of creating her own story. The brownstone was quiet without Laurie and Sam. The nest was empty. But their children were off at college now, starting exciting new phases of their lives. As it should be.

He did still wonder, at times, if their counterparts in the other universe had the same fortune as they had. Despite all the ups and downs that their marriage went through—the joy of Laurie's birth, the depressing sadness of a tragic miscarriage, the brief separation that followed, Alexis falling in love and getting married, and then the unexpected arrival of Sam, the joy and happiness he had brought—it had been a happy and fulfilling life. It hadn't always been sunshine and roses, but it had been worth all those bumps in the road. It was the journey that made it all worthwhile.

"You okay?" his wife asked him, smoothing her palm over his rapidly beating heart.

"Yeah, yeah," he bobbed his head, offering her a reassuring smile. He shifted, bringing up his hand to clasp hers over his chest. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"The journey life has taken us on," he answered.

Kate moved closer, slinking one leg over his, burrowing further into his side. "A happy journey, I hope," she said.

"Yes, a very happy journey," he chuckled softly, tilting his head down to playfully nip at her lips with his, teasing her with prospects of a second round. She hummed in approval. His stamina wasn't like it used to be, but a naked Kate Beckett still did things to him. Always would.

The years had been kind to them. The firmness of youth had faded, as it always would, but their love never did. The depth of their love had remained strong, growing stronger with each passing year. In his eyes, despite the wrinkles and gray hairs, Kate was as beautiful as she was the day he first woke up in that hospital bed and saw her gazing down at him with a mixture of concern and tentative hope. And judging by the way she looked at him now, he was positive his wife thought the same of him, her ruggedly handsome husband.

"I love you, Kate," Castle said, tugging her closer and relishing the feel of her warm body pressed flush to his. He brushed his nose against hers, before capturing her mouth in a soaring kiss, filling it with all the passion and love he had for her. "I always have. And I always will."

"I wish I had your way with words," Kate mumbled, blinking back tears as she melted into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his torso and hooking her leg over his hip. "I never thought my life would have ever turned out this way. For the longest time, I thought I didn't deserve such happiness. But then I met you through _him_. He loved a different version of me, and in doing so, brought me to you, the love of my life. I wouldn't change it for anything." She paused for a beat, stealing another kiss from him. "Knowing you, being your wife, being mother to our children, has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I love you, Richard Castle. Always."

Her smile made the wrinkles of age and time fade, making her bright and glorious. She placed a hand along the side of his face and pushed up to kiss him lazily, letting them both savor the rightness of their union.

"It has been great, hasn't it?" he asked when they were forced to pull back for air.

"Yes, it has… a life with you… the best," she concurred

"So… what's next?"

Kate smiled, and curled her fingers around his neck. "The start of another adventure?" she offered.

Castle smiled, and arched his neck to stare down at the woman he loved. "Yes," he echoed with a soft smile. "The start of another adventure."

**THE END**


End file.
